Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Bad News, Bars

Tonight was opening night for mlb.tv on my laptop. It didn't stop to buffer that much at all. But it was a frustrating experience nonetheless. They were showing the Texas feed, but with the Rangers' radio announcers. And there weren't any graphics on the screen. Or any replays. And the sound was so soft that I could only hear it if I put my ear right up to the computer.

After an inning of this, which I fully blame for Wake's horrible first inning, I decided to check out the price of the Extra Innings plan. I went to their crash-rific website and saw something about a free preview. I scrolled through the guide on my tv, found the mlb channels up in the four millions, and sure enough, there was the Red Sox game.

A momentous occasion. For the first time ever, a NESN game was on a TV set where I resided.

At that point I seriously started thinking about buying the package. The deal is, you get 20 dollars off if you buy it during this week long preview. (If you have digital cable, you're probably getting the free preview.) In the past, I've stayed away from Extra Innings for the following reasons: I was in Fairfield County up until last year, where I think the NESN games are blacked out, despite that you can't get NESN there in the first place; I didn't want to pay for all those games when I only cared about one team; and I heard not every game is on. Now, I'm out of the poochscrew area and I checked their schedule, and not only do all the Sox games appear to be on, but most of them are shown with the NESN feed. (I still think it's ridiculous that you can't just choose to get one team's games and pay a fifteenth of the price, but I'll deal with it.) And another key thing: I called my dad, and found out that our digital cables were in synch. That would mean no more avoiding human contact due to a five second delay. But it wouldn't be good for the Red Sox bars of New York. I'd only order water, though, so they wouldn't lose too much business.

So I may go ahead and get Extra Innings. Of course, after I pay, they'll probably say that all Red Sox games are blacked out for people who have a first name starting with J or something. Either that of some men dressed in black with little "NY" pins on their lapels will show up on my door, handing me my money back, slowly shaking their heads and saying "By order of Mr. Steinbrenner..." I'm telling you, George is on the case. He just doesn't want me to see my team. I hope he doesn't "have his eye on me," like he did with Damon, and then try to steal me away from my family.

Too bad about Wake tonight. I'm always happy to just get one win in Arlington. So it's cool that we still have a chance to win the series with Beckett.

I thought Loretta was safe on the grounder to third where the dude made a nice play. Pretty clearly, actually. But Remy said the ump made the right call, and that was the end of it. It was a helpless feeling. I just wanted Orsillo to jump in and say, "For those of you who thought he was safe, don't feel bad. You might be right." Sure enough, Papi got a hit after that, and I really think we could've gotten back into the game had the ump made the right call. TJ, ump. TJ, RemDawg. That new in-game reporter on NESN seems very uncomfortable and scared.

It's the bottom of the ninth in the Dunbar game. Tied. I talked to Reb earlier and said I really want a walk-off win for the A's. Man on second, one out. I may get my wish. Anyway, early in the game, they showed some sign hanging in the crowd. Next to it was the very edge of another sign. Kay talked about the sign they were focused on, and then Singleton said, "But look at the sign next to it." They pan over, and the other sign says "Et Tu Johnny?" They all started laughing and saying how "Wow, he left that many years---Game over! A's win in walk-off style! Tied up at 1-1 in the standings. We needed this one.---oh, so, my point was that they assumed the sign was referring to Johnny leaving the A's, like Giambi did, however, I think it specifically referred to how he left and then joined the yanks.

There was a great play earlier, where A-Rod dogged it between first and second on a hit, thinking he could go because Sheffield was going home, but Shef stopped, allowing A-Rod to be thrown out, and then Shef himself dogged it while that was happening and couldn't score. Good stuff.

I know I'm a little late on this, but, to the person who threw the syringe on the field: Hey asshole, you missed Giambi and Sheffield by 500 miles!

It is my intention, as well as my right (I live "here") to sport a black hat with an orange asterisk where the SF would normally indicate a square game was thought highly of. Fuck Bonds and any other cheap steak who shits on the integrity of my illusion. Too bad the syringe didn't spike the fucker in the neck.Sorry the A's gave up 15 fuckin runs to those pig fuckers - Jesus! Harden is the true ace of the staff, as tonight's game indicates. Zito is a headcase.

Jere, I think you should get the baseball package. It must be so frustrating for you to deal with the computer glitches, especially when things are going great at a crucial time of the game. That's worth the price of the package alone! And I'll be the first to contribute to the "Get Jere The Baseball Package" fund. Don't pull your hair out with buffering and lack of graphics. GO FOR IT!! C"mon.

I am so nauseated from hearing the name Barry Bonds fifty times an hour on Sportscenter. Why is no one harrassing Sheffield? Oh. I see, no one wants to actually get killed over it.

Hey, if you happen to get an excess in contributions for this extra innings thing, just remember who else might relly benefit...

I'm pretty sure we don't get screwed in Fairfield County on x-tra innings... in fact I believe it's a major reason MLB wants to keep the territories the way they are. You see, MLB knows there are a ton of Red Sox fans in Fairfield County. And there's also a ton of money in Fairfield County. So even the most humble of residents here can be expected to fork out the extra $180 to watch their beloved sox, and when you add that to the money king georgie is slipping them... well you know what I'm saying.

the trouble comes with national broadcasts on networks such as tbs. NESN owns the rights to red sox games here in Fairfield County, despite not being authorized to show them. So national broadcasts are blacked out because of NESN's priority. Makes no sense.

Relly, rhymes with jelly. And $180...that comes out to a dollar a day for the six months we should be playing. 11 cents an inning. Less if there are games that go to extras. If I was not in NESNland, I'd HAVE TO do it. Especially if you can pay all at once, at the start, and then forget about the money shelled. And if the total of the "fund" includes Reb, the name must be changed to the 'Reb and Jere Drive For Equality In Red Sox Viewing Habits." Put me in for $5.00.

And did anyone see the "Bonds on Bond" reality BS show that premiered last night on ESPN 2? I have it on the DVR, and I'll have a review over at my place once I see it. And there are many repeats of the show each week.

You can always visit me in Brooklyn. I have the cable package and, like you, I have MLB TV for the computer. Yes, I have to watch every game in the best manner possible at work or at home.

Peter, my work computer had a grand total of about four screw-ups last year (my paleolithic Windows 98 home computer--since replaced--was another story), so it's really not that bad. Plus the resolution and screen size for MLB TV have dramatically improved this year (have I mentioned I must be tuned in to baseball at work?).

It does seem improved this year, the mlb.tv that is. But last year, I had nothing but buffer-licious problems. And then there's the infamous "stopped," where it just decides it's done showing you the game for the time being. And of course the delay. So Ortiz would be up in a key spot, and the phone would ring. Meaning that he hit a home run 10 seconds ago and someone is calling to tell me about it before I see it. No fun. Maybe the problems occurred because I have a mac. And it was brand new at the time.

For me, I don't really have the desire to watch games that don't affect the Sox or yanks. However, once I get this, maybe that will change. I definitely like seeing networks from other places in the country. So, for that alone, it will be cool. And it will come in handy down the stretch if we're fighting it out with some non-yankee team, I'd be able to check in with their game.

Hey, so, is every Sox game on pretty much, that's not on national TV anyway? Do they ever just not pick up a Sox game for seemingly no reason? That's what I'm afraid of.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Hey, so, is every Sox game on pretty much, that's not on national TV anyway? Do they ever just not pick up a Sox game for seemingly no reason? That's what I'm afraid of.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Every single one. The lone exception- on a Saturday, when FOX has rights to about 15 games, we in NYC will get the Yankees/ Mets one. But, we won't be able to get the Sox on EI because it'll be a FOX game. I think this happened like, 3 times last season.

Otherwise- every single last one. And I'd say it's 95% NESN.

I love watching every single game I can, so it's literal heaven on earth for me.

Definitely get it jere. It's worth every penny. I've had it for the past two years. It's amazing. The only sucky thing is that NESN games have gone down. I want them to get to the point where you can choose the feed you want.

There is also the random time you will lose a game because of a rainout, and they might not have a free channel for when it's played. I think I've missed two of those types of games over the past two years.

OT -------- I just got the email for tickets to Colbert. I know you did it before. Do you have any tips for getting in? It's only the general admission so it's first come first service I believe. Do you know what happens if you don't get a seat for the day you have tickets for?

The way I got the VIP tix was being shut out of a show I had regular tix for, because too many people were ahead of me. You could purposely do this, like, if you have a shitty guest on your night, just get there really late, and take the VIPs for a future date. For me they asked me to pick three dates, and they chose one to give me the VIP tix for. So, in a way, that's better, because you can pick dates on which you really want to go, and get sweeter seats to it. (Although there are no bad seats, it's not that big a place.)

That's a risk, though. Who knows if they changed those rules. I would guess, though, that they always give you another chance if you get shut out of a taping.

So, assuming you do want to go on the night they've given you, just make sure you get there early. I got there at the same time both shows I went to, and once I was in with no problem, but the other time was the time I was shut out.

Prepare to stand outside for a while. Think of a creative question to ask Colbert when he comes out pre-taping. Only one of your party needs to be on line until a certain time (the email tells you). So just have one person get there really early, and other people can get food and bring it back to you or whatever. Prepare to laugh yourself silly. And warn any people with sensitive ears that it's really loud in there. The warm-up comic last time pointed out a lady right near me covering her ears. Oh, and the line goes back down the side of the building into the alley. So if you glance down 54th St from 10th Avenue and don't see anyone waiting, don't think you've got more time. The line is just hidden. And be prepared to have a camera blocking Colbert from your view sometimes. It happened to me both times.

For the taping itself and inner-studio stuff, I'll let you be surprised.

I got EI last year (I moved from Worcester, MA to Virginia) and it is excellent. Wish you could select feeds (no, don't show me FSN Florida -- how many out-of-market Devil Rays fans do you think there are?!??) but still.

This year I'll be moving soon, and not in range of my current cable company, so I can't transfer an EI subsription to the new place, and I can't buy it for just one month at my current place.. so I'm Sox-less for now. When I move, I'll probably switch to satellite anyway, and order the EI package then.

Although I can watch the Orioles! Check up on Kevin Millar... yeah, that's all I got.

Right. I wrote to them and everything. See last year on this blog. Or was that two years ago? They did it because the yanks had higher "demand." There are some parts of CT that get a Mass Fox station, I think, though. I was thinking of when ESPN shows the Sox as a regional game, and the rest of CT can watch on NESN, but Fairfield doesn't see he Sox on ESPN because it's in new England. Ridiculous. Happened to Reb on Opening Day.

But, yeah, I remember telling my parents, in New Haven: If Fox-61 chooses yanks over us, YOU WON'T SEE THE GAME. And they said, "What do you mean? We get every Sox game now?" Stupid Fox-61. Oh wait, I remember now. It was '04 when they consistently chose yanks over Sox, but then after the World Series they had some ad comparing their news team to the Sox with it's winning news ways. Bandwagoners.

I put an extra question mark in my last comment up there. Kind of ruined it.

Fox 61 has a choice since they're between the two areas,and they usually make the incorrect choice. I wrote them and said just what you did, that most of CT gets Fox 5 NY anyway. The dude who wrote back said it wasn't a majority, but I'm sure he was paid by George to say that. That was summer '04 I think. Look through the archives for my letter.

I moved from Boston to Seattle, WA a couple of years ago and I have to say that the "Extra Innings" package is the best $159 I spend all year. Every Sox game is on (with the exception of Fox Saturday broadcasts). It's the best. Go for it!